Gameplay vs. graphics - (Mark C.)

I am having trouble focusing on the post for tonight because I am mesmerized by the fire burning in our fireplace before me.  My toes are super toasty.  Don't mind me whilst I stare off into space for a bit...

Then I get to thinking (uh oh, voyeur brain on the loose.)  A fireplace fire is always beautiful.  It displays vibrant colors full of movement.  It is constantly changing and evolving.  It is powerful.  It draws us in.

But, a fire does not burn without wood.  And wood is not particularly alluring on it's own (please don't read too much into that statement.)  Dry wood is particularly mundane.  It is naked of its bark, foliage and branches.  It is gray and cracked.  But, baby does it burn. It produces the stunning show I am now considering.

What does this have to do with gameplay vs. graphics?   I am not entirely sure, exactly.  Probably nothing.

As you know, I do not play video games.  I watch video games.  However, I know full well that video games are meant to be played.  Maybe I am going out on a limb here, but what good would a video game be if it looked really beautiful, but was clunky and boring? 

Take Marla Hooch, for example.  What a hitter!  That girl could play ball.  But, based on her looks (particularly at the beginning of the movie) no man would even consider the dirt in her skirt.  She almost lost her chance to try out for the All American Girls Baseball League because she wasn't pretty. 

Yes, some video games look and play like Geena Davis or Madonna.  Immaturity may lead a young gamer to think that those types of games should be the rule rather than the exception.  Years of gaming will prove him wrong.  He will tire of gorgeous backgrounds that take a long time to load and story lines that are dull and narrow in scope.  Sure these games look amazing on his 72" flat screen television, but wouldn't it be refreshing to be with a woman who is articulate and doesn't take an hour and a half to primp to grab a bite?

Wait, what were we talking about?

Because my husband is also articulate here are a few thoughts of his on the matter (you know the actual video game stuff):

 Gameplay vs Graphics. 

Skyrim vs MW3 is a good example.  Graphics in Skyrim are rough and there are many bugs, but the gameplay is so engrossing that gamers are willing to look past it.  MW3 is beautiful, runs at 60 frames per second (makes it look smooth), but gets criticism for being a “corridor” shooter with endless spawning enemies if you don’t advance.

Other examples? 

I’m playing through Final Fantasy tactics for the third time (on my phone, no less), because I just enjoy the gameplay and leveling system so much.  It’s a 14 year old game. 

But with a game like Batman: Arkham City, you don’t have to choose.

Just to clarify, I would never advocate choosing gameplay over graphics or graphics over gameplay or settling in any way.  I am just harping on the old adage not to judge a book by its cover.  As a college professor once said (yes, at my Christian college), "Just because the prune is wrinkled doesn't mean it doesn't taste good." 

Food or cake related video game - (Brenda S.)

This topic required research.  Neither my husband nor I were well versed in such a game.  Until now...

I had heard of the "Cooking Mama" series of games for both Wii and Nintendo DS systems so I decided to start (and end) there.  My first act of serious video game research led me to YouTube where I discovered that there are approximately 63.2 different iterations of these games.  I randomly watched this trailer first:



Octopus, anyone?  And, what's with the dog? 

Anyway, I proceeded to watch video after video after video.  And then it occurred to me: I could watch video games whenever I wanted to!  I could watch games my husband would never ever play (like this one!)  I knew this blogging thing would help me grow. 

Bing!, another light bulb went off.  Maybe he would never play it, but what about me?  I reached for my iPhone and browsed the App Store as my second act of serious video game research.  Yes, indeed there were two Cooking Mama apps.  For the sake of you, my beloved readers, I sprung for the free version cleverly called "Cooking Mama Lite."

The first recipe I made was "hamburger stewed in tomato sauce" though I do not recall using any tomatoes.  My first task was to chop the onion by violently tapping the screen.  I received a "very good" accompanied by the glimmering starry anime eyes of "Mama."  I also proved skilled at moving the butter around to coat the pan.

The third step was to cook the onion, but to be careful not to let it burn.  At this, I failed.  I did not realize I must first tap the onion to put in the pan.  I spent at least 15 seconds earnestly shaking my phone to mimic stir frying an empty pan.  Mama met me with burning eyes (literally she had one small ball of fire flickering in each socket.  It was quite fabulous.  You should check it out.)

Though disheartening, it was this segment of the game that reminded me of a line from my January 1 post.  "Hurry! get the chopped veggies in the pan before the oil gets too hot."  Apparently, I am not as original as I once thought.  Or maybe the video game gods were trying to tell me something.  I kneaded and shaped the hell out of the hamburger and then returned to YouTube.  I found this:



Grocery shopping, speedy challenges, general ridiculousness...I AM a video game!  (An aside - is anyone seeing the alcohol references in these trailers?!?) 

Oh, and I also found this.  Yes, the game comes with the doll.  I will let it speak for itself, but please do not hesitate to let me know what you think. 

What early childhood game does the hubs remember? - (Mark C.)

Apparently, My husband and Mark C. are in cahoots to take over my blog.  Evidence: January 1 the blog was suggested by Mark.  January 2 the blog was suggested by my husband AND was about him.  Today's post was suggested by Mark and is about the hubs yet again.  I suppose this is what I should have expected when I assigned him the duty of crafting my writing challenge list.  

In order to take back what is rightfully mine I will interview my husband for this post and wildly misrepresent his answers for my gain.  Giddy-up:

When did you first play video games?
Good question.  I don’t know.  Though I’m sure it was under the influence of my brother.  
 
What is one of your earliest video game memories?
I guess playing Centipede on Atari 2600.

Hmm, interesting...never heard of it.  When did you know you were an avid video gamer?

When I was willing to purchase a Nintendo 64 on launch day just to have it, even though I didn’t have enough money saved up to buy a game as well.  Thanks for spotting me, mom.  (I love this story...isn't he the cutest?!?)

Was your family supportive of your interests?

My brother was certainly supportive.  There were a few years where I was old enough to play games with him and he was still in the house.  My mom was surprisingly supportive.  She bought into the hand-eye coordination, using your brain thing.  I vividly remember a short conversation we had.

                Me: Can I watch tv?

                Mom: No

                Me: Can I play video games?

                Mom: Yes.

Do you harbor any repressed feelings regarding video games and childhood?

How should I know?  They’d be repressed, right?

 
Fine, good point.  Now, I know the answer to this, well maybe I don't actually, but for the people at home...please tell us, do you still own any of your childhood games/systems? (eye roll...here we go)

Question:  When does childhood end?

Systems:  All of them except the DS I recently traded in.  NES, SNES, N64, GC, Wii, original Gameboy, GB pocket, GB color, GB Advance, GB Advance SP, 3DS, Virtual Boy, Super Scope 6 (counting as a system because it is hardware), Playstation, Playstation 2.

Games:  It’s philosophical.  For current-generation games, I have no problem trading them in, and for a couple reasons.  They are readily available.  If I wanted to relive an xbox game from a few years ago, I can get it in the bargain bin at GameStop.  Also, saved games are on my hard drive now, not a cartridge.  I would have a more difficult time getting rid of my Secret of Mana cartridge with a save at the end of the game.  I have dozens of NES, SNES and Gameboy games laying around.

Do you own any other video game paraphernalia?
No. (Thank God.)  Nintendo boxers. (Which I bought him.)

How will you introduce gaming to our young ones?
Hmm.  Carefully.  As with any media, you have be aware of what your kids see.  Plus, I know it can be a slippery slope and a time-waster if not treated correctly.

Ok, so I have to admit that, in actuality, I quoted my husband nearly verbatim.  He had interesting nuggets to share  I didn't really answer Mark's question though.  Oops :)

How my husband survied a week without his 360 - (Zach L.)

I consider myself to be fairly low maintenance.  I rarely wear makeup.  I will pee in the woods.  I have gone without coffee.  Really, the only thing I won't tolerate is pulp in my orange juice.  That's just gross.

For the most part, I consider my husband to be low maintenance, too.  Though he has a well defined taste for certain things, I have never seen him pitch a fit out of inflexibility.  Which is why this blog theme (submitted nearly a week before we left on vacation) puzzled me.  Perhaps he has it worse than I realized.  Clearly, he is functional, but addicted all the same.

If you are also an avid video gamer, this is the moment in my post where you can feel free to raise your 3DS, smartphone, or other mobile device above your head with two outstretched hands, close your eyes, and lift a prayer of thanks to its creator (small c, though I suppose the big C would also be happy to hear from you so go for it.)   

So, how did he survive a week (at his mom's) without his 360?  Clearly, his iPhone helped, but I think a couple other things helped him cope.  Here they are (in my opinion):

1.Food.  My mother-in-law knows how to baby her baby (and his girls.)  On top of the normal holiday bounty, she made for us (in one day alone) french toast, Manhattan clam chowder, spaghetti and meatballs and homemade hot fudge sauce for our ice cream.

2.The Strong National Museum of Play.  If you have never been, I highly recommend it.  We took our toddler one morning and she had a blast.  She pretend-shopped at a mini Wegman's, discovered the classic magic that is a slinky, and helped build an actual keystone arch out of blocks that she could walk under.  Oh, and did I mention there was a video game exhibit?

3.Infinity Blade.  Even though the hubs brought his 3DS to play the new Professor Layton game he never turned it on.  I suppose his iPhone met his needs this week.  Regardless, one downside to mobile gaming, of course, is the inferior voyeuring it provides.  He graciously offered to show me his game and his sword and everything one night, but I had a headache.

4.Words with Friends.  Honestly, this game also added enjoyment to my week (I am part of the mobile gaming community, what?!?).  My sweet man bought be an iPhone 4s for Christmas and I am in love.  I have barely begun to fully embrace its capabilities, but I have downloaded Words with Friends.  And lost.  To my husband.  Which was made even worse when, not only did the banner of the game exclaim "You lost!", but the alert popped up with this message: "Zach L. has won.  You have lost to Zach L."  I get it!  How many times must you rub my face in it?  Sheesh.

So...who wants to play? 

If I were a video game, which would I be and why? - (Mark C.)

This sounds like a ThinkGeek University application question.  Therefore, I shall respond in five paragraph essay format (sans the archaic double spacing).  What up Catholic prep school?!?

If I Were A Video Game, Which Would I Be And Why
By: Kristin LeFeber a.k.a. The Video Game Voyeur

Video games are an integral part of modern day society in America.  Gaming has begun to define who we are as a nation (a bunch of superheroes).  Like television, radio and other forms of entertainment, video games encourage us to pretend to be someone we are not.  I am too much of a realist.  So, If I were a video game, I would clearly be a Supermarket Sweep, WarioWare, super stay at home mom, domestic goddess speed challenge type game.

According to Wikipedia, "Supermarket Sweep is an American television game show. Part of the format was similar to other team-based quiz shows; the other part was a live-action race through a supermarket, a novel concept at the time."  I used to love watching this show.  There is nothing quite like watching a married 80's couple in matching red sweatshirts and white Keds toss eight huge fresh turkeys and seven garden hoses into a shopping cart.  Supermarket Sweep embodies my love of grocery shopping (and avoids my laundry loathing) with my love of just the right amount of cheesy.  Cheesiness that is akin to greeting cards and high-fiving or thumbs-upping.  I love all that stuff. 

Like Supermarket Sweep, the Nintendo Wii game, WarioWare, is fast paced and requires a lack of shame to succeed.  Yes, WarioWare is one of the few video games I have dared to play and it was amazing.  Again, quoting Wikipedia, "Gameplay in all WarioWare games is distinct from most other games, as they involve the player or players trying to beat the microgames (less than 5 seconds) as soon as possible. Most games present instructions in the form of  a verb and quickly drop the player into the situation where they must perform said verb."  One minute you are swinging the Wii-mote to "chop" a log, the next minute you are flapping your arms wildly to "fly".  And while fun to play, my friends, it was never lost on this voyeur how fun it is to watch (the other players look like fools.)

As I have made clear, I enjoy games that are fast paced and goofy.  These type of games reflect my personality.  It is almost impossible for me to do anything slowly.  I talk quickly, I think quickly, I move around the house in a flurry, I rarely sit still.  My tendency for speed (and silliness, too) has served me well as a mom.  Despite having two little girls, I am often out of the house earlier than planned.  If I happen to forget a bib or a snack, I can think fast and be resourceful.  When I read books, I do the voices.  When they get antsy at the store I devise quirky quips to distract their attention.  Motherhood is mostly about simply surviving each new challenge as it comes along, after all.

In conclusion, if I were a video game I would be a non-stop series of mini and micro games that (using Wii or Kinect type technology) require the player to perform domestically related tasks as quickly as possible.  Quick! mix the formula before the infant cries.  Hurry! get the chopped veggies in the pan before the oil gets too hot.  Run! collect the recycling before the truck pulls away.  Earn rewards for each stage of games completed such as lattes, minutes lying on the couch and maybe even manicures.  Video games have become a big part of our culture.  Embrace them by becoming one.  It's fun.    

Have yourself a merry little

Our children are nestled, all snug in their beds, as we the parents, drink champagne and let it go to our heads.

As I type, my husband is assembling his childhood train set in front of our Christmas tree as a gift for our eldest.  Because he loves me (and you, too) he first created the official 30 day writing challenge list for your viewing pleasure.  It should come to no surprise to you that in order to accomplish this task he created a spreadsheet complete with a column that tallied how many entries he had chosen (x for yes, m for maybe.)  Apparently, he can not otherwise count to 30.    

Thank you for all of your fabulous ideas.  I received nearly twice as many as I needed and this resulted in some tough decisions.  They were all enticing ideas that I may just save for later anyway.

And so, without further adieu, I present my Christmas gift to you.  Here, in a very specific order, are the voyeur's blog topics for January:

1.If I were a video game, which would I be and why

2.How my husband survived a week without his 360

3.What early childhood game does the hubs remember

4.Food or cake related video game

5.Gameplay vs graphics

6.Does anyone play pong, below the root, or tetris>

7.Daughters

8.Do you miss softball

9.Gamer personality (do you define the game/gaming preference? ...does the game/gaming preference define you?)

10.Top 10 hottest video game chicks to play as

11.Laundry Achievement Points.

12.Kazumi

13.Interview voyeurs and compare experiences

14.Your dream video game

15.Voice acting (or attempting)

16.How I put too much pressure on myself

17.Cosplay

18."There's an app for that"

19.Mobile gaming

20.Potty Training

21.Joystick

22.How good are the stories/ plot in games you watch - any attachment to  the story?

23.Mini/micro vans

24.Matthew's birthday

25.My girls in 10 years

26.Back when I was in college

27.Food pairings with video games

28.Video game impaired

29.Stupid hot girls on G4

30.Gamer dads And now, back to my carpet picnic and champagne. Merry Merry.

30 Day Writing Challenge

Ok, folks, I need you.

In an attempt to rejuvenate I am embarking on an adventure.  I am not one for new year resolutions, but come January 1 I plan to blog once a day for 30 days.  The self inflicted rules are as follows:

1. Write one blog entry for this site each day for the first 30 days in January 2012.
2. Each entry must be at least 200 words and posted by midnight that day.
3. Each entry must be written based on a single word or phrase prompt.
4. The prompts will be chosen from suggestions from the blog's beloved readers.
5. The order of the entries will be designed by the hubs and publicized via this blog on December 24 (My Christmas gift to you).
6. Though the daily theme does not need to be video game related, each entry must be written in the style of the video game voyeur (random, saucy and kinda sorta funny).
7. The daily blog title will feature the prompt and the person who submitted it. 
8. Each blog will be shared on both Facebook and Twitter at the time of posting.
9. This endeavor will officially conclude on January 31 at the CurlyRed 5 year anniversary party where girl power will be fully celebrated.

So, as I said, I need you.  Please send me your blog theme suggestions as soon as you feel moved.  You can leave them as a comment here, there, or basically anywhere.  If you need inspiration, there are many 30 day challenge lists online.  The first list I saw was for photography and was what inspired me to take this journey to improve my art.  Since talking (I mean writing) is my thing, I am adapting the idea and making the challenge my own.  Help me create a unique one, one that you will also enjoy.

In video game related news: my husband bet Arkham City, is STILL playing Skyrim and spent at least 20 minutes tonight discussing games in which he had to blow into his handheld system.  Thrilling, I know.